The Role of the Král and the Králscreed

In the world of Merisyl, when a dragon claims territory, they declare it as a Protectorate, and take on the sacred role of Král. The Král’s authority is grounded in the establishment of a unique set of rules and guiding principles known as the Králscreed. These principles govern the relationship between the dragon, the land, and the creatures within their domain.

The Králscreed

The Králscreed consists of two key components:
  1. Core Rules – A small set of binding directives that the dragon enforces across the Protectorate.
  2. Guiding Principles – A slightly broader set of ethical guidelines that shape the Král’s approach to leadership and governance.
The Král’s involvement in the governance of their Protectorate may vary. In some cases, they might allow the non-Draconic inhabitants to govern themselves, provided they follow the rules outlined in the Králscreed. In other instances, the Král may provide regular oversight and input into the region’s decisions.

Responsibilities of a Král

The role of the Král is one of immense responsibility, encompassing the following duties:
  • Protect the Land – The Král is the land’s primary guardian, ensuring its wellbeing and vitality.
  • Protect the Creedsworn – Dragons who follow the Králscreed (the Creedsworn) must be safeguarded from harm, both physical and magical.
  • Adjudicate Draconic Disputes – Any disputes between dragons within the Protectorate are the Král’s responsibility to resolve.
  • Enforce Transgressions Against the Creed – The Král ensures that violations of the Králscreed are met with appropriate action, maintaining order and discipline within the Protectorate.
Král are typically both physically and intellectually gifted, earning the respect and admiration of both their peers and the non-Draconic races who live under their rule.

The Process of Establishing a Král

The process of establishing oneself as the Král of a territory follows a well-defined procedure, which varies depending on the current state of the Protectorate. Regardless of the method, the process concludes with the Ritual of Guardianship, which seals the dragon’s bond with the land and solidifies their claim.

Claiming New Land (Unprotected Territory)

  1. Protectorate Potential – When a dragon wishes to claim a new territory, they declare themselves a Protectorate Potential.
  2. Uncontested Claim – If no dragon contests the claim, the Protectorate Potential is deemed the Král of the territory, provided they successfully perform the Ritual of Guardianship.
  3. Challengers – If there are multiple dragons who wish to contest the claim, they are deemed Challengers. To become Král, a Challenger must recruit a majority of dragons in the region to agree to become Creedsworn under their proposed Creed. The victorious dragon must then complete the Ritual of Guardianship to seal their bond with the land.

Heir Potential

If an existing Král steps down, they may designate a few Heir Potentials. These dragons are selected for their alignment with the Creed and their ability to uphold the responsibilities of the Král. To succeed the Král, an Heir Potential must win the votes of the other dragons in the Protectorate, often demonstrating their interpretation of the Creed and any potential changes they propose. Upon winning the vote, the Heir Potential must perform the Ritual of Guardianship to cement their claim.

Challenger Process

A dragon may declare themselves a Challenger if they wish to modify the existing Creed significantly. This can be accomplished by:
  • Vote of the Creedsworn – A rare but possible method where the Creedsworn vote to amend the Creed. The Challenger must perform the Ritual of Guardianship after securing approval.
  • Force – The rarest method, where the Challenger uses their power to impose changes upon the Protectorate. Even in this case, the Ritual of Guardianship is required to finalize their claim.

End of a Protectorate

A Protectorate is considered disbanded after 100 years of the Král’s absence. After this time, the Protectorate reverts to unclaimed land, open for another dragon to claim. Not coincidentally, the Ritual of Guardianship takes about 100 years to complete, making it difficult — though not impossible — to claim a territory before the previous Král’s tenure has expired.

The Král Code

This Code was established by a conclave of dragons in the early days of Merisyl. Recognizing the need for peace and order, the dragons created this system to prevent the misuse of Apsu’s gift. Its success has allowed the code to endure largely intact over the centuries. Those who violate it are met with swift and severe consequences from Dragonkind as a whole, ensuring the stability and sanctity of the Protectorates.